…Mr. Allgood, who is 31 and works in marketing, also writes the blog WhyBike.com and is a member of a motorcycle group called the Bay Area Riders Forum. He says members typically ride inexpensive, “get-around-town” motorcycles, but others gravitate to Ducatis, Harley-Davidsons and other expensive brands.

“People are looking for the image or the history associated with certain brands,” he says, which is fine if it makes them happy. “It’s not my money,” he adds.